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Back The Cottage Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. TWENTY-THREE
  26. TWENTY-FOUR
  27. TWENTY-FIVE
  28. TWENTY-SIX
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. TWENTY-NINE
  32. THIRTY
  33. THIRTY-ONE
  34. THIRTY-TWO
  35. THIRTY-THREE
  36. THIRTY-FOUR
  37. THIRTY-FIVE
  38. THIRTY-SIX
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. THIRTY-NINE
  42. FORTY
  43. FORTY-ONE
  44. FORTY-TWO
  45. FORTY-THREE
  46. FORTY-FOUR
  47. FORTY-FIVE
  48. FORTY-SIX
  49. FORTY-SEVEN
  50. FORTY-EIGHT
  51. FORTY-NINE
  52. FIFTY
  53. FIFTY-ONE
  54. FIFTY-TWO
  55. FIFTY-THREE
  56. FIFTY-FOUR
  57. FIFTY-FIVE
  58. FIFTY-SIX
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT
  61. FIFTY-NINE
  62. SIXTY
  63. SIXTY-ONE
  64. SIXTY-TWO
  65. SIXTY-THREE
  66. SIXTY-FOUR
  67. SIXTY-FIVE
  68. SIXTY-SIX
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT
  71. SIXTY-NINE
  72. SEVENTY
  73. SEVENTY-ONE
  74. SEVENTY-TWO
  75. SEVENTY-THREE
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR
  77. Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
  78. Keep Reading …
  79. Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
  80. About the Author
  81. Books by Lisa Stone
  82. About the Publisher

It was Friday morning and Ian was sitting at his office desk trying to catch up with his work. It was proving very difficult. There was so much going on in his private life, it was virtually impossible to concentrate, but he needed to try. He’d taken a lot of time off since Emma’s miscarriage and while management were still being supportive and sympathetic, he knew it wouldn’t last forever. At some point they would expect him to get over it and start pulling his weight again.

Ian’s thoughts drifted to the argument he’d had with Emma that morning. It had started because he’d brought up the matter of the DNA tests again. Then he’d made it worse by saying he thought she should return to work, part-time at least. She was still signed off sick. He thought he’d phrased it well, but she’d burst into tears, accused him of being self-centred and caring more about his bloody research than he did about her. He’d left soon after to come to work and had texted an apology, but she hadn’t replied.

His thoughts returned to the review.

Don’t go anywhere near this place.

How he would have liked to have spoken to Ms L and asked her exactly what she’d meant. He’d found the review online again but couldn’t see any way of contacting her. Clearly she’d had issues with the clinic, but why? Was it their manner or something else?

‘There are rumours,’ the lad in the village shop had said. But that could be no more than malicious gossip.

Ian fiddled with his pen and stared at the report he was supposed to be writing. The DNA test kits he’d ordered should arrive tomorrow – Saturday. There was no postal service on Sunday, so he’d send them off first thing on Monday. He’d opted for the results to be emailed, which was the fastest method, so hopefully he’d have them early next week.

Of course, it could turn out that Carstan Moller had been right all along and he and Emma didn’t share the same genes. That’s what Emma believed, and that he’d become obsessed – a witch hunt to find someone to blame for them not being able to have a family. Which is more or less what Moller had said: Get on with your life and be grateful you are both healthy, intelligent and able to do well.

If the DNA tests showed he and Emma weren’t related, then he would accept it and agree to go to bereavement counselling as Emma wanted.

Don’t go anywhere near this place! They are in it for their own selfish ends.

But why? Ms L, why?

THIRTY-ONE

Jan paused to read Ruby’s text: Should be with you at 12.